Paid The Price
Paid the Price, by ''Crystal '' Prologue: Julianna backed into the wall, an expression of fear in her face. Worry, confusion, and shame spread through her. They had caught her, she doesn't do anything wrong, her parents would be ashamed and upset, and she didn't do anything. She hung her head as they yanked her hands out from behind her back. She stumbled forward and into the ground as they pulled her towards them. They took the metal rings, and attached them around her wrists, behind her back. She felt tears escape and fall down her face. She felt eyes on her. She felt everyone watching her as she got shoved towards her new home for who knows how long. And most of all, she would never get to see her family and friends again. Chapter 1 I woke up to my mom, Elsie, waking me up. "Come on darling, there's chores to be done." Elsie " Aww mom! Why do I have to? " I whined, getting up. "You know why, Julia. Everyone must do their part. Now, hurry along. I have a friend coming over this afternoon." Elsie said, putting her auburn hair up in a fancy bun. I sighed and dragged my body downstairs. I yawned as I pulled out some toast and jelly. My older brother, James, and my baby sister, Anna, came into the room. "Morning Jewels. " James said, giving Anna to Mom. "Don't call me Jewels." I grumbled. " Why ever not, Jewels? " He asked. I ignored him and went upstairs. I put on some jeans and a shirt, and then went downstairs to start on my chores. "Oh, by the way, Julia, James has to work today, can you take his chores?" Elsie asked from the family room. "What?! But I've got my own chores to do, and I'm supposed to be at my best friends house!" I protested. "Julianna, you know how hard it is to get things done since your father left. James needs to work as much as possible to earn money till your father comes back." Elsie said, coming over to me. "But mom, I need to go to my best friends house! I told her I'd be there!" I protested. Elsie sighed. "Then tell her you can't make it. I have a very important person coming in two hours, and I need this house cleaned. So stop complaining, and start working." I glared at the ground and turned away. I stomped over to the bathroom, and started cleaning. Next I did the kitchen, and then my dad's office. When I was done, my mom came to me. "Julie, darling. Ms. Tanner is due to be here any moment. Can you watch Anna?" Elsie asked, nervously glancing out the window. " But..but..ugh " I grabbed Anna from her and stormed upstairs. I plopped her in her crib and locked myself in my room. I stuffed my ear buds in my ears and went to finish my assignment for school. I ignored Anna's cries, and everything else, while pretending to read over some stuff. "Julie? Julianna? JULIANNA THATCHER! COME GET YOUR SISTER!" Elsie shouted over Anna. I ignored her. I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Someone banged on my door, demanding I opened it. I sighed and opened the door. I gulped when I saw her face. "Julianna! Look what you've done! You ignored Anna, and ignored me, and now Ms. Tanner has left! I needed that job! And I was going to get it until now! But you ignored me, and now she's left, and I won't get that job! I needed that job, Julianna! And now my chance is gone!" Elsie exclaimed, angrily. "Sorry." I grumbled. " No, you're not sorry. If you even cared, you wouldn't have ignored me. " Elsie said. I glared at her, and then ran down the stairs. I burst out of the house, tears in my eyes. I ran all of the way to Nadia's house. "Nadia! Nadia Walters! Open up!" I sobbed, begging on the door. " Julie? " Nadia asked, opening the door. She motioned for me to come in and follow her up to her room. She closed the door and turned to me. "What happened, Julia?" "It's all my fault Nadia! I'm the reason my mom didn't get the job!" I sobbed. "What job?" Nadia asked. " Mom..mom was trying to get a job, to try and earn some money while dad's in Germany. And..and I was careless and ignored Anna and mom. So Ms. Tanner left, saying Mom's house was not the one they needed to sell stuff in, and she should worry about her kids. " I explained between sobs. "Why would they need your house?" She asked. " Ms. Tanner is a huge fashion designer. They lost their store to a fire, and Mom said that they could use her house. Nadia offered her a job in exchange. But now I've ruined it, and it's all my fault!" I sobbed, stuffing my head in her pillow. "Wait, ''the ''Ms. Tanner? Like, Audrey Tanner?" She asked. I nodded. "Oh, Julia! Your mom must have been VERY lucky to get offered a job by her! I'm sorry she didn't get it." Nadia said. " I hate my life. I hate myself. I just want to run away, and hide for the rest of eternity! " I sobbed. "But Julie..." She stopped, knowing she couldn't do anything but make it worse. " I don't wanna go back home. " I sobbed. Nadia rubbed my back as I cried, doing whatever she could to comfort me. I eventually cried myself to sleep, hoping I'd never wake up. Chapter 2 It had been five days since Elsie had lost her job, and she was still upset. I avoided her as much as possible, which wasn't that possible... She had been busy getting the house ready for my dad, George, since he was coming home that Saturday. I walked through the halls of my school, heading to my next class. A lot of people were avoiding me. And I have apsalutly no idea why. Because I totally didn't do something. I opened the door to a very strict teacher giving me 'the look'. "Ms. Thatcher. Would you care to explain why exactly you are ''late ''again?" Mrs. Walker asked. " Oh, um...I..wasn t feeling good. " I said. "That was your excuse for the last three weeks, Ms. Thatcher. Is there something wrong?" She asked. " Oh, um..no. " I mumbled. "Then go sit down right now before I give you extra homework!" She exclaimed. I hurried to my seat and sat down. I looked around and didn't see Nadia. I spotted Will and Danny in the seats in front of me. "Hey, Willy. Where's Nadia?" I whispered. Mrs. Walked raised an eyebrow in my direction. Giving me a warning look. "She got grounded." Willy whispered back. "What?!?! For what?!" I asked out loud. "That's it, Ms. Thatcher! Go see the principal! And you get an extra assignment!" I rolled my eyes and stomped out the door. I didn't go see the principal. I had seen him three times a day in the past two weeks. He'd talk to my parents if I kept going. I instead went home, telling Elsie I wasn't feeling good. Which was true. My head was hurting and my stomach didn't feel good. Once in my room, I dumped the stuff out of my backpack, and grabbed some clothes, and food. I put it in my backpack. I grabbed a few other things, and got ready for that night. I had made up my mind a few days ago, that I was going to run away. I was tired of everyone being bossy and giving me extra work. I lied down in bed and got as much sleep as I could. I woke up around midnight, and grabbed my backpack. I tied my shoes, and stuffed some bread in my mouth. I then quietly moved down the hallway, and down the stairs. I made it out the door and bolted down the street. I didn't know how long I ran, but it felt like hours. I found an empty alleyway and curled up in the shadows, shivering. I got as much sleep as I could before someone rudely woke me up. "Hey, kid! What are you doing here?" Asked a blonde boy, with big brown eyes. " Wha..oh...sleeping? " I yawned. "Are you homeless?" He asked. " Maybe. " I replied. "Where are your parents?" He asked. "Somewhere." He sighed. " by the looks of it, you be run away. " I hesitated before responding. "Yeah." I admitted. he nodded. "I ran away from home years ago. My parents didn't care so I'm on my own." I nodded and held out my hand. "Julianna. You?" " Joey. " he shook my hand. "Come on this way." He said, mentioning to the direction I had come from. "No way. I am not going that way. " I got up and walked in the other direction. he shrugged and followed. That's where we met up with an acquaintance of Joey's. "Sup dudes?" A kid with dirty brown hair asked. " Julia, this is Anthony. Anthony, this is Julianna. " Joey introduced. "Hmm...short, scruffy, weird looking, ugly..." He listed. " Anthony! You're being rude! " Joey exclaimed. "So? I don't care. It's the truth." He shrugged. My eyes burned with tears of anger. I clenched my fists. " Anthony, apologize. " Joey said fiercely. "No. Why should I? I told the truth." I had had enough. I dodged around him and ran, getting as far as I could from Anthony. Joey caught up. "I'm...sorry about that." He said. I didn't respond and kept running. We stopped for the night, and continued our journey in the morning. After we had both eaten lunch, I spotted sa familiar looking girl on MISSING posters. The Girl had long black hair, and silvery blue eyes. She also has a small scar on her head next to her eyebrow. "What's up?" Joey asked. "That..that's me." I whispered. "Well, if you wanna stay away from your family, we need too change your appearance." he snapped his fingers as an idea hit him. "We need to cut your hair, and dye it. Got any money?" He asked. Elsie would have said not to trust him, but for some reason, I did. So my hair was cut from knee length, to shoulder length. And my black hair was dyed to a chestnut brown. "Perfect! Now to continue our journey!" Joey exclaimed. We both continued, keeping our heads down. I was started to have second thoughts. But I knew it was to late to go back, and if I made some stupid decisions, it was to late to fix them. Chapter 3 Category:Fanfiction Category:Original Characters Category:Crystal